Sony underestimated 80GB demand, admits Steinberg
In an interview with GameDaily, SCEA's Scott Steinberg talked about the various SKUs on the marketplace. The 40GB model was a big focus for Sony's holiday season, as the $399 price point was something they hoped would appeal to the mass market. With NPD numbers for 2008 so far, the plan has worked. However, Steinberg admits that they underestimated the appeal of the 80GB model: "Reality is the price wasn't that big of a deal and $499 sold a lot more than we thought."
Gamers, at least those in America, are willing to pay a premium to get the "complete" experience associated with the brand. For example, many Xbox gamers opt for the Premium model, as opposed to the cheaper (but HDD-less) Arcade model. Many new PS3 owners most likely want PS2 backwards compatibility, something that the 80GB offers (but the 40GB model does not).
"You'll see us replenish these in the marketplace," Steinberg said. In fact, we hope that they'll make a lot of 80GB systems. The upcoming 80GB Metal Gear Solid bundle will certainly have a mass market appeal -- even with its pricey $500 price tag.
